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If you’re behind on sleep, there’s often not much you wouldn’t do to get some rest. The number of supplements and products promising you a full night’s sleep abound, but there might be a way to start snoozing without shelling out your hard-earned cash. Can ASMR help you sleep? Learn more about the phenomenon, why it might be key to your nighttime ritual and what to do if that doesn’t work, either.
ASMR stands for autonomous sensory meridian response, which refers to the tingling sensation you may get when you watch or listen to ASMR videos. People most commonly experience the response of tingles on their back, neck or scalp. The content creators specifically make for this purpose often involve whispering, tapping, hair brushing, mouth sounds, hand movements, repetition and more.
However, there’s also unintentional ASMR, which is when a sound or movement happens in a mainstream video or movie that gives someone the response. For example, someone might get tingles from the way an actor circles their finger around the rim of their glass, but that wasn’t the actor’s intention in the scene.
In 2016, ASMR University sat down with Jennifer Allen, who created the term “autonomous sensory meridian response” in 2010. She said she thought up a name for the phenomenon because she wanted people to be able to discuss it without anyone feeling ashamed. While there has been criticism over the label being pseudoscientific, Allen’s main goal was to create something many felt comfortable using so they could identify it and normalize it to bring the experience to light.
Because this field is so new, there are several working theories as to what causes the tingling sensation many know ASMR so well for. ASMR University founder Craig Richard has found that the neurotransmitter oxytocin — which helps create social bonds and relax you — binds to receptors in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) when experiencing ASMR. This brain region assists in your social connections and ability to delay satisfaction rather than be impulsive. The happy hormone in the quick-reward part of your brain could be causing that delightful sensation.
Because the mPFC helps with your socializing, it can also direct habits like your personal hygiene. Meanwhile, oxytocin produces positive feelings and helps you form relationships with others. These could be the reason standard ASMR triggers include face-touching, hair brushing, skin care and other self-care activities.
Richard additionally theorizes that these triggers could come from “affiliative behaviors,” which are caring acts people with tight bonds do for each other. The gentle setting and tone of many ASMR videos help the viewer feel close to the content creator or ASMRtist, making the latter more likely to give the former the classic tingles.
ASMR can certainly help you sleep. There isn’t currently enough research to recommend it as an official treatment for sleep disorders, but it can lull some stubborn brains to rest. For people who experience ASMR, one recent study did find viewers had higher alpha wave activity in the brain, meaning they were in a more calm state. This reaction had the possible positive effects of lower blood pressure, breath rate and heart rate.
The gentle nature of the content may also just help you unwind. When additional researchers polled their participants, 86%-98% used ASMR to relax, 70% used it to cope with stress and 11% used it to lower their anxiety. Just 41%-82% listened to or watched it to sleep. However, others mentioned they use it when struggling to sleep, such as knowing they have to get up early and aren’t tired.
It remains to be seen whether ASMR assists in sleep by encouraging it or by replacing anxiety with relaxation so the listener can finally knock out. Either way, it can certainly help.
If ASMR doesn’t work for you, it may be because worry isn’t what’s triggering your sleeplessness. According to research from 2017, participants who did experience ASMR got significantly higher scores in neuroticism and openness to experience. They also scored lower in extraversion, agreeableness and conscientiousness. A 2022 study confirmed these findings but also noted these people tend to score higher in anxiety.
While ASMR assisted in lowering their anxiety, those who didn’t get the sensation reported no difference after watching. Some even find the direct nature of the content or the weirdness of what the ASMRtist is doing unsettling or irritating. Thus, it might only be beneficial to those who are looking for something soothing and distracting.
If it’s 2 a.m. and that video of someone tapping on a wood block isn’t doing anything, it’s time for a new tactic. Here are a few ways you can start catching some z’s without buying into the latest trend.
Try to get a heart-pounding workout in sometime during the day to get more restorative sleep at night. Going for a run, dancing, jumping rope, and more helps reduce your risk of insomnia and improve your sleep quality.
If you’re tired after your workout, try to avoid taking a nap. Napping could disrupt how much quality sleep you get at night, which could leave you exhausted in the morning, which makes you want to nap — and the cycle never ends.
If your room isn’t relaxing, it’ll be hard to get sleepy in it. Is that mattress too hard or soft for your liking? Do you have the right pillows, or could your bedroom use softer lights and soundproofing? You need proper rest to be your best self, so invest in a comfortable setup that makes you want to sleep every time you go in it.
Additionally, try not to do too much work in your room. If it’s a space you use exclusively for shuteye, your mind may stray less to paying bills or unanswered emails. It could make the connection sooner if you check your inbox or balance before lying down.
When you follow a regimen every night before bed, your brain associates each step with getting closer to rest. It may include taking a quick, warm shower, doing some skincare, reading a book, writing in your journal and more. Whatever helps get you comfy and sleepy should do the trick.
If you’ve tried all these methods and more and still can’t seem to fall asleep fast enough or stay asleep, it’s a good time to talk to your physician. They know even more interventions that could solve your problem. Like how you’ve been trying multiple tips, just remember that this process will take some trial and error.
ASMR could be the tool you need for a restful night. If you haven’t tried it, why not click through some videos to see if there are a few triggers that tickle your fancy? It likely won’t cure your insomnia, though, so those who chronically can’t sleep may want to try a few new habits or speak with their care provider for more personalized solutions.
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